Icon through the years Solar eclipse guide 😎 Previous US disasters Play to win 🏀
WEATHER
National Hurricane Center

Erika remnants soak Florida as Tropical Storm Fred forms

Katharine Lackey
USA TODAY
Erika passes over Haiti and Cuba on Aug. 29, 2015.

Remnants of Tropical Storm Erika brought heavy rain and winds to southern and central Florida on Sunday as the next system, named Fred, formed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and watches were posted for a separate storm approaching Hawaii.

Widespread rainfall of 2 to 4 inches was expected throughout Florida, with localized amounts up to 8 inches, especially along the western coast of the state. A flood watch was  issued for the southern half of the state through Monday morning.

The rain could bring some drought relief to parts of South Florida, such as Fort Lauderdale, which has only received 36% of the rain that typically falls there between May 1 and Aug. 30, AccuWeather reported.

However, the Tampa area, which is predicted to get 4 to 8 inches of rain, is already soaked from a bout of historic rain in late July and early August, the Tampa Bay Times reported.

Much of Florida will get soaked by the remnants of Erika.

Meteorologists are closely monitoring the storm for any potential to reorganize over the eastern part of the Gulf of Mexico early this week, AccuWeather said. However, re-development seems unlikely at this point.

Erika devastated the tiny Caribbean island of Dominica mid-week, leaving at least 20 people dead. Another 50 remain missing.

On Saturday, Florida Gov. Rick Scott said the National Guard remains on alert, and his staff would re-evaluate his declared "State of Emergency" routinely.

"We live in a peninsula," he said, urging people to keep a three-day supply of food and water and to keep stocked on batteries for their flashlights. "This storm has been completely unpredictable."

Meanwhile on Sunday, Tropical Storm Fred formed in the far eastern Atlantic and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane overnight, the National Hurricane Center reported. A hurricane warning was issued for the Cape Verde Islands. Fred, which was moving northwest at 16 mph and had winds of 65 mph, is expected to pass through the islands beginning Monday, the center said.

In the Central Pacific, a tropical storm watch was issued for Hawaii's Big Island and Maui on Sunday as Hurricane Ignacio approached. As of Sunday afternoon, Ignacio was a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained wind speeds of 130 mph, according to the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. It was moving northwest at 9 mph.

The storm, which was about 400 miles east of the Big Island on Sunday, is expected to weaken and pass north of the Hawaiian islands Monday and Tuesday, AccuWeather said.

The forecasted track for Hurricane Ignacio.

In the Eastern Pacific, Category 4 Hurricane Jimena continued to spin with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. It was moving west-northwest at 15 mph far from land. The center reported the storm could near Category 5 strength soon.

Contributing: Fort Myers (Fla.) News-Press

Featured Weekly Ad